Second Chances
by PrincessAletheia
Summary: After realizing that pushing Emily away was a mistake, Aaron is willing to do whatever it takes to get her back. Can he get over his fears and do the one thing she wants? Enjoy!


_**A/N: For once, this has no funny A/N...I couldn't do that today.**_

_**Most of you might have heard by now, on Tuesday morning, Julia (JWynn) was taken to the hospital after she fell unconscious. At the moment, she is in an induced coma and the outcome isn't sure.**_

_**Please, everyone, include Julia and her family in your prayers!**_

_**Julia...I don't know when you read this, but I wanted to let you know that I am so grateful for having you as a friend! Whenever I am down, reading your stories or talking to you immediately cheers me up. I can't believe that three days ago we still talked and joked. **_

_**You are one of the most terrific writers I have ever seen, since 'A Hare Brained Idea', I'm totally addicted to anything that contains cinnamon, candles, shampoo, everything, whenever I listen to Cheryl Cole's 'Parachute' I have to think of your 'Gsuits and Parachutes' , 'Stuck In Paradise' has me laughing even after I read it about twenty times now, I wish my Christmas was that crazy and your story 'Hell Week' was the funniest one I've ever read! I love all of them.**_

_**You are a wonderful friend, funny, gentle, caring, just amazing...we need your love, your humor, your kindness, you light up the world.**_

_**I love you darling. You will be okay. Please be okay. Oh, god, please...**_

_**Please pray for Julia and her family!**_

_**Oh, and btw, my boss fired me today, because I was crying, which, I quote 'is a negative energy that shouldn't be around!' Yeah, so sorry here for being human. **_

_**The story is written to the song prompt 'Whatever it takes' by Lifehouse, a request by Luv-a-bull...the song screamed H/P at me when I listened to it. :D...I hope you like it! **_

_**Disclaimer: Neither do I own the show nor the song.**_

_**Enjoy! :)**_

* * *

Aaron Hotchner stared out of his office window down at the bullpen. Would there ever be a day passing by again without him missing her? If only he had realized sooner how lucky he had been to have Emily Prentiss in his life, by his side, he would have never said those words.

Now all he had left where the memories of a smile that enlightened the world, a laughter that chased the shadows away and a joy, greater than all his sorrows had ever been.

He hadn't seen it since he left her. Emily's mask had fallen into place the second the words had left his mouth, and no matter how much he wished he could take them back, she wouldn't let him close again and it tore him apart, seeing how hurt she was, and how she refused to let anyone know about the reason for it. She wouldn't accept help.

_A strangled smile fell from your face  
It kills me that I hurt you this way  
The worst part is that I didn't even know  
Now there's a million reasons for you to go  
But if you can find a reason to stay_

Taking a look at the clock, he shook his head. It was past ten, they were the only ones left in the office. And suddenly it struck him. Maybe this was faith. Maybe this was his chance to fix it. Without hesitating a second, he grabbed his car keys and his jacket, rushing towards her. She kept staring at her file when he arrived. Aaron reached out, pulling it away, which finally caused her to look up.

"Is there a problem, Sir?", she asked and he cringed at the superficial cold in her voice, knowing that underneath there were pain and sadness.

"Emily, we need to talk."

"Is it work related?"

"No, and you know very well that it isn't! Emily, give me a chance to explain to you what happened a month ago. Please", he reached for her hand, softly taking it in his, "let me explain why I reacted that way. Will you give me this chance?"

She looked in his eyes and he was stunned, like the very first time he had seen her, he could glare unsubs into crying for their mommy, but one look from her and his knees weakened.

Deliberately, she got up, reaching for her bag and her jacket. "It'll better be worth it, Aaron."

He squeezed her hand. "It will, I promise."

_I'll do whatever it takes  
To turn this around  
I know what's at stake  
I know that I've let you down  
And if you give me a chance  
Believe that I can change  
I'll keep us together whatever it takes_

They reached the park near his house thirty minutes later and silently walked next to each other. He longed to take her hand again, but he knew, she wouldn't take it too well.

Emily sat down on a bench next to the lake, something they had referred to as 'their bench' barely five weeks ago. He hadn't been here since then.

She looked up to him, expectantly. "Well, Aaron, go ahead. Say what you need to say."

"Emily...I am terribly sorry for hurting you like that, I never had any intention to do it. I was afraid of hurting you, pulling you with me into this deep and dark abyss that is my soul. All I wanted was to protect you from me. I didn't think when I told you to leave my life, Emily."

"Heck no, you weren't thinking. I doubt you ever have."

_She said "If we're gonna make this work  
You gotta let me inside even though it hurts  
Don't hide the broken parts that I need to see"  
She said "Like it or not it's the way it's gotta be  
You gotta love yourself if you can ever love me"_

"I didn't mean it like that."

"How did you mean it then? Care to explain to me the other meaning of 'I don't want you around anymore, this is all getting to much, you should leave now'?"

"Emily, I was terrified I could hurt you! Don't you see it, I don't want anything to happen to you, all I'm wishing for is to see you happy. I didn't expect you to hurt that bad, I just wanted to make you understand that I can't be the one for you."

Emily rose to her feet, a determined expression on her face. "And you are still not thinking, Aaron. Your fear has made you blind, so blind that you can't see what is right in front of you."

"Emily..."

"Shush." She grasped his arms, shoving him on the bench. Now he was the one to be looking up to her.

"You are afraid to ever love again, Aaron. I can understand that with everything that happened, it is hard to open up again. I would have waited for much longer if you had needed the time, but you were the one to make the first step in our relationship. You were on the right track and then, suddenly, you stepped back. We we're getting closer, and you felt as if it was too much for you, as if it shouldn't be. I can understand you are still grieving about Haley in some ways, but I won't accept you beating yourself up over it."

"Emily, you don't understand. I'm like a magnet for bad luck, why can't you see that?"

"Because it is not true! You are afraid of hurting me, you shouldn't have started things with me in the first place then. But you did and I will fight for what we have, for the love we share. You can't hide these dark things going on in your mind from me, Aaron. I know what every frown means. Every look. Every smile. I can tell exactly what is going on inside of you by just looking at your gestures for one second. And every touch, as slight as it may be, lets me know how you feel."

_But remember the time I told you the way that I felt  
That I'd be lost without you and never find myself  
Let's hold onto each other above everything else  
Start over, start over_

He leaned forward, whispering. "Tell me, Emily, what is going on in my mind right now?"

"You are afraid of loving me. You are afraid of loving anyone, because you think you don't have enough to give. And you are so wrong."

"Am I?"

"Yes, definitely. You are afraid to be loved as well, thinking you are not worth it. You are so scared of your past that you think no one could love you, that the darkness would consume everyone like you think it consumed you. But that is not true. You might be terrified, but deep down inside, you know that it's not true."

Aaron listened to this exact profile of him, heart broken.

"Why wouldn't it be true? Prove me wrong!"

She nodded. "Tell me, Aaron, what is the real reason that you brought me here tonight?"

He reached for her and she willingly sat down on the bench next to him.

Aaron took a deep breath. "Emily, I am so afraid of hurting you again..."

"You won't."

"What I said one month ago was a lie. You are everything I ever wanted, everything I ever needed. But I am terrified I could ruin your life. You are the most wonderful woman I've ever met and I don't think I deserve you. I have every intention of changing that though. I would do everything for you, Emily Prentiss, everything to fix my mistake. If you could give me one more chance to prove you how much I love you, I swear, I will never hurt you again."

_I'll do whatever it takes  
To turn this around  
I know what's at stake  
I know I've let you down  
And if you give me a chance  
and believe that I can change  
I'll keep us together whatever it takes_

He finally took her hands, lifting them up to his lips, pressing tender kisses onto them.

"Emily", he whispered hoarsely, "if there any chance I could convince you to forgive me? Anything that would convince you that I'm serious about us? I understand if you say no, but I can't live my life without you. These past weeks...I've never felt so lost before, not even after Haley's death. You are the sun in my universe, but I pushed myself out of the orbit and can't seem to get back into place alone. Can you help me to find my place in this world?"

She leaned closer to him, her fingertips gently running over his cheek. "The only thing you need to do is to start loving yourself, Aaron, that's all I'm asking for. I have loved you since forever and I won't stop it now. I understand that all changes need time, but if you open up to me and let me help you, we will find a place in this world. Together."

"My past isn't nice to see. All these scars..."

Emily cut him off again. "I have seen these scars and I know about your past. If I can love you unconditional, then you could at least try. For me, Aaron, do it for me."

For her. And that was all he needed to hear. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her, no mountain too high, no valley too low, he would lay the world down to her feet, if that was her wish.

Aaron pulled her into him, capturing her lips in a sweet kiss. "I've never met someone like you before, Emily. I have pushed you away, hurt your feelings, but still, you willingly let me in again. Do I really deserve you in my life?"

She grinned. "No, probably not, but you should keep me anyway, because the one thing is for sure, you are never going to find someone who still loves you that much after everything you said."

"I don't ever want someone else in my life than you, Em. Life hasn't exactly been gentle with either of us in the past years and we are likely to have to face many more problems in the future. But there is no one I would rather to fight these problems with than you. I love you, Emily."

"I love you too, Aaron. Oh, and there is one more condition I have. Don't ever walk out on me again. Or try to force me into leaving you for whatever reasons. I'm in it for eternity and that means, you're never ever gonna get rid of me again."

"I know and I won't. I promise, Emily, I will do whatever it takes to make it work this time and I won't shut you out again. You see, I'm in it for eternity too", he grinned and reached into his pocket, pulling something out and holding it in front of her eyes. She gasped.

"What are you doing?"

"I promised you to never shut you out again, didn't I? It's a set of keys for my apartment. Only if you want to, of course", he added hastily, all of a sudden unsure as to what her reaction would be.

Minutes passed by while she stared at the keys, speechless and he got more nervous with every second.

"Emily? What do you think?"

She looked at him and there it was again, the bright smile that could enlighten the world. Her eyes held so much love that it took his breath away.

"I love you Aaron", was the only thing she said before her lips met his again, deepening the kiss and his senses got carried away. The last thought on his mind was how it was worth taking a risk for love. He had succeeded. They had.

* * *

_**A/N: There you go, I hope you like it! :) Please leave a review and let me know what you think.**_


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